The “Bradford” pear (Pyrus calleryana “Bradford”) is a callery pear cultivar that grows 2 to 3 feet per year to a height of 50 feet.[1] While at first blush this speedy growth rate may like a good thing, trees that grow this quickly tend to have weak branches that break easily due to snow, ice and strong winds. When planted correctly, these trees will grow quickly with glossy, deep green leaves and bloom profusely in early spring, with attractive fall leaf colors.

Steps

Part 1

Choosing a Planting Site

1

Check if pear cultivars are considered invasive in your area or state. Pear cultivars, including the “Bradford” pear tree, are classified as an invasive species in much of the eastern and mid-western United States as well as a few isolated areas in California and Utah.[2]

Always ask your local Extension office if a callery pear can be planted in your area before purchasing it.

2

Plant Bradford pears in loamy soil, if possible. However, they will also grow just fine in clay and sandy soil.[3]

They will grow equally well in highly acidic, neutral and highly alkaline soil, so a soil pH test is unnecessary.[4]

3

Find a site with at least six hours of direct sunlight. Avoid planting sites near structures, driveways or parking areas and sidewalks where a fallen branch could do damage.

The canopies on these trees will eventually reach a width of 20 to 25 feet. So, the tree should be planted at least 15 feet away to limit the possibility of damage if a branch breaks and falls.

Part 2

Digging the Hole

1

For the best results, plant all callery pears, including those sold bare-root without any soil on the root system, in autumn after a hard frost. During this time, the tops of the trees will be dormant, allowing them to devote all their energy to growing new roots.

Planting them in autumn also gives them time to increase their root system, resulting in a healthier, more resilient tree that will be ready to grow vigorously in the spring.[5]

However, you can plant callery pears in containers or with wrapped, B&B roots any time from spring through fall. B&B are balled-and-burlapped roots.

2

Water the callery pear trees every day until they can be planted. Keep them in a shady area where they are protected from strong, drying wind.

The root system will be damaged if they are allowed to dry out.

3

Dig the hole with a dirt shovel to a depth equal to the height of the callery pear tree’s root mass and twice the width. If the soil is clay, use a hand trowel or hand rake to scratch up the sides of the hole.

When a shovel is pushed into clay soil, it creates a smooth surface or “glaze” that is difficult for tree roots and water to penetrate.

Part 3

Preparing and Setting the Tree

1

Remove container-grown callery pears from their containers. You can do this by laying the container on its side and sliding the tree out. You can also grasp the tree at the base of the trunk to pull it out.

2

Disinfect a pair of sharp hand pruners by soaking them in household disinfectant for 5 minutes. Then, rinse them off or wipe the disinfectant off with a clean rag. Let them dry before using them.

Do not use them to cut the root while they are wet with disinfectant as the disinfectant will harm the tree.

3

Use the hand pruners to cut any roots that are growing around the outside of the root mass. These are called circling roots. They will eventually thicken and strangle the tree so its best to remove them.[6]

Cut the circling roots at the base of the root where it grows from the tree.

4

Use a clean, sharp kitchen knife to cut the root mass. If the tree was root bound with a tight, full root mass in the container, use the knife to make three to four, 1- to 2-inch deep slices from the top to the bottom of the root mass.

Space the slices evenly around the root mass.

Then, gently work some of the longer roots growing out of the root mass away from the rest of the roots.

Slicing and loosening the roots will help the callery pear grow new roots into the soil instead of keeping them within the thick root mass.

5

Set balled-and-burlapped (B&B) callery pears in the hole with the root wrapping on the root mass. If the “burlap” is actually plastic wrapping, untie it at the top and carefully slide it out from under the tree.

If it is natural burlap, untie it, pull it down off the top of the rootball and leave it in the bottom of the hole. It will decompose on its own. Pulling it out from under the tree may damage the roots.

6

Cut any circling roots on the B&B callery pear root mass. As well, if there is a wire basket on the roots, which is not uncommon for B&B trees, use wire cutters to cut the basket and remove it.

There should be no wires of any sort left around the roots or the trunk.

Part 4

Backfilling the Tree

1

Break up any hard clumps of dirt and remove any stones from the backfill soil. Use a shovel to do this.[7]

2

Use your fingers to spread the roots and hold them over the center of the hole by the base of the trunk. Do not crush or bend the roots. Crushed and bent roots at planting time will likely result in a dead tree.

3

Push the soil into the hole around the roots. You should gently working it under and between the roots of bare-root trees. Then, fill the hole halfway.

4

Pour 1 to 2 gallons of water evenly over the soil to settle it around the roots. Finish filling the hole and create a 3-inch high ring of soil around the outer edge of the rootball, not the outer edge of the hole.

This will encourage the water to soak in right above the rootball where the tree needs it rather than the loose soil in the planting hole beyond the rootball.

5

Water the tree with another 2 to 3 gallons of water. Pour it over the rootball and over the loose soil beyond the rootball to finish settling the soil.

6

Spread a 2- to 3- inch depth of organic mulch over the soil. This will help it retain moisture.

Be sure to keep the mulch 3 inches away from the trunk.

Mulch pushed right up against a tree trunk can damage the bark and cause cankers, which will kill the tree.

Part 5

Irrigating the Tree

1

Water the tree when the soil in the rootball begins to dry. The best way to determine if the rootball is becoming dry is to poke your finger into it at several different spots.

If it is still wet, check it again in a couple of days.

The rootball should be kept slightly moist at all times for the first three months after planting.[8]

2

Use a watering can or a garden hose to water the tree. This way, water can be directed right over the roots but not directly on the tree trunk.

During the following year, while the tree is still become established, allow the top 1 to 2 inches of soil to dry, then give it 6 to 9 gallons or 2 to 3 inches of water.

Typically, running a hose for 5 minutes will deliver 10 gallons of water.[9]

This sort of deep watering will encourage the tree to grow its roots deeper into the soil, making it more drought tolerant.

3

Water the tree if its leaves are wilting, curling, turning brown and yellow or dropping off. These are all signs the tree is not getting enough water.

If it is getting too much water, its leaves will turn pale green or yellow or may stay green but become brittle and any new branches will wilt.